Too many people in this space will tell you that you must write every day. Like you have to tie yourself to your desk chair, change the wifi password, and sit there until you write or literally pass out from sheer exhaustion, whichever comes first. The technique boils down to some form of discipline or consistency with your practice. As if repeated—often forced—effort is the only way to proceed with the thing you want to accomplish.
And if you can’t force yourself or don’t have discipline as a strength? Good luck ever writing a book.
But that’s not true.
There are writers (Cheryl Strayed, anyone?) who have publicly stated that they’re binge-writers. They don’t write every day. They write when they have the time. Or after they figure out the story in their head. Or in between their job responsibilities. And I’m willing to bet you’ve at least heard of Wild, if not read it yourself. So, writing every day isn’t a requirement to be a writer—not even to be a successful one.
Then what is it that enables some of us to finish our books and not others?
“What will make you finish [your book, project, business, etc] is not discipline, but self-forgiveness.”
Elizabeth Gilbert, on the Marie Forleo Podcast
And if Elizabeth Gilbert is right (which I’m willing to bet is the case), then the goal isn’t about getting pressure ulcers from spending too much time strapped to your chair, fingers bleeding over the keyboard. It’s about learning who you are as a person and writer, how you work best, and granting yourself the grace to mess up over and over again.
Because you’re not going to always love what’s on the page.
But if you let yourself live with the imperfections and keep working anyway, you’re bound to finish your novel—discipline be damned.
(# Of words I wrote for my manuscript today: 306)